For Greeks: What is your opinion on military service?

Question

As you know, Greece has mandatory military service of one year for all males. I'd like your opinions on this. For example, do you believe that mandatory service should be abolished, are 12 months a long time/a short time for military service, should women be obliged to do it as well etc...

Inspired by a similar question posted in the Turkey section.

Answer 1

My son is due to go soon and although I'll worry about him I think it's a good thing.  He wants to go too.  Twelve months isn't really a long time.  My husband did 26 months.

Answer 2

I think it is sad that we are obliged to keep an army and give so many funds to the army forces when as a country we could really use them somewhere more progressive...But the situation is as it is and army is something that we have to keep strong.I think that it is not about how much time people should spent in the army but rather how they spent it.Most of the time they are just there to do the time and to get into the spirit.There should be more high standard training.

I am pro women in the army.If men have to go why not women? We don't have to go through the same program but we should know the basics.

Answer 3

in Cyprus it's 2 years...grrr

Answer 4

We are not located between Finland and Norway. We have enemies that claim regions of our land, we need army to defend Greece. "Security because we are a member of the EU" is an illusion.

Answer 5

i think that we must to reduce the military service. i mean that we need one strong greek army but today with the shape that it have is like one young loos his time. i think that 6 months are enough for the basic education.

Answer 6

I think 1 year is fine.

Answer 7

well it certainly is along time if they are gone

but at the end of the day they are glad to be serving their country  =)

but of course there are conditions:

you cannot go if you are g*y

you cannot go if you are the only guy in the family

2+ men of the same close family cannot be in the service at the same time e.g.: father AND son both gone

and

you cannot go if you are mentally or physically disabled

Answer 8

Women don't belong in the military. I'm not saying we can't do it but it's not a woman's thing. And in general I think that this being obligated to serve is fantastic! You need the army to protect our country (I'm sure you know this) and what better then to dedicate time to serve your country? I think 1 year is good enough and no it should not be abolished.

Answer 9

The reason why its ,about DISCIPLINE . One year at least, its not a matter ofF, if its along time becuase any amount of time to serve your country can only be a good one at time of war..my grandad did the whole 12 years in the balkan wars. my dad did  4 years in the civil war..and my uncle,s did 5 years in ww2, among them .one beign captured and the other wounded..DISCIPLNE is not an easy thing to adminster ..so one year is sufficent time for the greek military service.in my view..we should never abolish it ..what is hard to do is when the boys are in university and want to futher thier studies...if i had my way i would have military universitys for that situation and combined the both ..military universitys make excellent .officers..and we need excellent officers., as far as women  in the military.to me it should be voluntary.. there is nothing wrong with a women being  in a war or in any part of the militray as long as they can cope..its fine ..but it must  be voluntary.. what i love most about the military in greece is that it reconsize up to 5 generations as to being a full blooded greek's ..that means  you are excpected to do one year, or serve your country in war time..  unless they abolished that latley ?